Demands are currently being made to further increase the capacity of magnetic data storage. A major objective of research efforts in thin film magnetic materials is to make magnetic recording media with properties that are suitable for recording at higher data densities. Achievement of higher recording densities is impaired by several problems. First, as the quantity of magnetic flux corresponding to the data becomes smaller, it becomes increasingly difficult to separate the data signal from the noise. Second, as the recording density increases, the super-paramagnetic limit of the material is approached so that thermal energy can potentially randomize the data stored in the magnetic material. Both of these problems are related to the energy density associated with the magnetic anisotropy of the magnetic material.
There is identified a need for an improved magnetic thin film, and particularly an improved magnetic recording media, that overcomes the limitations, disadvantages, or shortcomings of known magnetic thin films.